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Shoulder Arthritis
Shoulder or glenohumeral arthritis occurs over time as joint cartilage is worn down and destroyed, narrowing the joint space. This can be the result of degenerative changes, posttraumatic arthritis or inflammatory arthritis. Patients describe the pain as being worse with any kind of movement or strenuous activity and therefore motion tends to be limited. X-rays will reveal narrowed or negligent remaining joint space between the humeral head and the glenoid. Initial treatment usually consists of rest, NSAIDs, therapy and cortisone injections. Ultimately, depending on the patient’s health and age, a total shoulder arthroplasty may be indicated to alleviate pain and restore some function. If the rotator cuff is also compromised, a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty may be necessary.
Shoulder Arthroplasty / Replacement
Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Some patients with advanced shoulder arthritis and an intact rotator cuff may be a candidate for a total shoulder arthroplasty (aka total shoulder replacement). It is important to take into consideration the patient’s age and functional status when considering this option. The total shoulder replacement will help decrease pain and allow the patient to return to daily activities. It is generally not designed for heavy laborers or those involved in daily strenuous activities. The surgery involves replacing two components from within the shoulder: the humeral head (ball) and the glenoid (socket). The patient will begin a gentle range of motion shortly after surgery. The patient’s progress will be followed closely by their surgeon and physical therapist at follow-up appointments.
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
This surgery is reserved for patients with advanced shoulder arthritis in combination with a torn and retracted rotator cuff. The reverse shoulder arthroplasty changes the dynamics of the shoulder so that the deltoid muscle takes the place of the rotator cuff when elevating the arm. The native humeral head is replaced with the socket portion of the arthroplasty, and the glenoid is replaced with the ball portion of the arthroplasty. Shoulder range of motion will likely still be limited after surgery, but the pain will be relieved once the arthritic joint is replaced.
FAQs
Is my shoulder pain serious enough to see a shoulder specialist, or can I see any orthopedic doctor?
Most shoulder pain can be treated with rest, anti-inflammatories, and physical therapy. Any primary doctor or general orthopedist can prescribe these simple solutions, but a trained shoulder specialist won’t just treat your pain — they will diagnose and treat your specific problem.
At Modern Orthopaedics, our trained shoulder specialists will ask the right questions, perform specific examinations, and order imaging when appropriate. They will be able to diagnose your problem and treat you whether your problem is simple or complex. Although you may not feel like your shoulder issue is “bad enough” to see a specialist, it is advantageous to have the opinion of an expert in the field when it comes to your health.
What are the different treatment options for shoulder pain?
Before deciding on the treatment for your shoulder pain, our doctors will first diagnose your problem. Depending on the type and severity of your problem, the treatment options will vary.
Generally, physical therapy will be involved in the first step of treatment. You will work closely with a therapist two to three times a week to develop a routine that is tailored to your diagnosis and needs. Therapy may take some time to help, which is why a six-week trial is generally recommended before proceeding with other treatment options.
Cortisone injections are often used in orthopedics. Our doctors are conservative when it comes to using cortisone injections and reserve them for specific situations. They are most commonly used for patients who may have a stiff or frozen shoulder or shoulder arthritis. They use them less commonly for rotator cuff issues, but there are exceptions. Each patient’s situation is unique, and our doctors will work with you to ensure the highest level of care.
Surgical intervention is reserved for shoulder issues that do not respond to more conservative measures or acute injuries that need to be addressed right away. The most common shoulder surgeries performed by our doctors are done arthroscopically. This allows for smaller incisions and a quicker recovery for our patients. The length of recovery, immobilization period and rehabilitation protocol differ depending on the surgery.
Do I have to try physical therapy before considering other treatment options?
Physical therapy can be extremely helpful in addressing shoulder issues. It will likely be involved in your treatment to some extent, whether it’s to help manage pain, increase strength or mobility, or rehabilitation after surgery. Your therapist will design a program that is unique to your problem and help guide you through exercises and stretches. Generally, we send patients to therapy three times a week so they can develop a consistent routine. We can recommend the names of specific therapists who are particularly skilled in treating shoulder issues. Although therapy is time consuming, it may help you avoid surgery or manage your pain without medication. Physical therapy also helps you to develop good techniques and habits for exercise that you can then use at home.
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We received full construction permits for our Paramus building today!! 🙌🎉 Wheels-up on full-on construction starting next week!
We can’t wait to introduce the finished product! We have an amazing design/architecture/build team that is about to deliver a first-class home for the new orthopedic hub of Bergen County!! 💪🦴😎
Stay tuned here for progress updates!!
@wellsarchitecture @mitradesignsstudio
@vda_designs
Visbeen Construction
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease #totaljointreplacement #totalkneereplacement #totalhipreplacement
#shoulderreplacement
Introducing your ortho team…THE TEAM to trust! We are so grateful to have such a dedicated and hard-working staff. Get to know us…stay tuned for our NEW staff profiles coming soon!
Congratulations to @choiseppi and Matt Kraeutler for graduating from @st.joesortho orthopedic surgery residency program tonight! From all of us at @modernorthonj , it was a pleasure participating in your surgical education over the years. Best of luck as you embark on your sports fellowships and on what we know will be great careers!!
#teaching #orthoresidency
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease
Cast Removal - 5 Fun Facts!
1. The cast saw blade doesn’t spin, it vibrates.👍
2. The saw blade is generally safe, and there is a layer of cotton underneath the fiberglass, but the blade can still cut skin if the operator is not skilled! 😳
3. The blade will generate heat - just like when rubbing 2 sticks together, the friction can heat things up quickly! 🔥
4. My heat management technique keeps things cool. 😎 **as you can see in video, I create a superficial cutting line first. Then I move the saw blade along the cutting line in several passes, using an up and down technique and being careful not to keep the vibrating blade in one spot too long.**
5. I always give my patients the option to keep their cast… but very few choose to keep it!!
@peterdenoblemd
#cast #castremoval #fracture #orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease
What’s in your water??
I want to make sure our amazing Paramus flagship location will deliver both cutting edge orthopaedic care AND a safe occupational environment for our patients and all-star staff!! This includes ensuring we have the purest possible water coming from all of its faucets! 💦
Today we tested for a variety of contaminants in our water including Arsenic, PFAS, chlorine, chlorine byproducts, and Uranium. 🫙
Big thx to @jennifer.vanbeekum for helping with our testing today, and to @healthyhomeexpert for her guidance over the years on how to create these safe occupational environments!!
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease
@peterdenoblemd and @jennifer.vanbeekum watching backhoes dig dirt - it never gets old!
Currently establishing all of our drainage reservoirs. #Paramus #progress
@modernorthointheor
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease
@peterdenoblemd & @davidratliffmd
We met 17 years ago, at the beginning of our orthopedic surgery training as co-residents at @montefioreorthoresidency in the Bronx.
Those were some amazing years, jam-packed with…
🥱5 years of daily 6AM rounds at Moses, Weiler, and Jacobi Hospitals
🦴Thousands of orthopedic surgeries
🦴 Hundreds of ER casts placed
🥷🏼Amazing mentors and co-residents who were instrumental in molding our foundational ortho knowledge and skills sets
🥪Late night tuna melts at NCB Hospital
👖 Oh, and apparently all during a time when parachute suit-pants were in vogue!! 🤣
Our paths diverged for a time during our specialty hand-to-shoulder fellowships at St-Luke’s-Roosevelt and University of Pittsburgh respectively and during the early years of our practices.
Now, fast-forward to today, and we are so proud to be practicing together and bringing our combined 35 years of ortho shoulder-to-hand expertise to Modern Orthopaedics of New Jersey! 🔥🔥
💪🖐We treat the most complex conditions of the hand, wrist, shoulder, and elbow, and have locations in Morris County, Passaic County, and (soon to be) Bergen County New Jersey.
Also, please follow us in the OR at @modernorthointheor
#orthopedics #shouldersurgery #shoulderscope #shoulderarthroscopy #handsurgeon #handsurgery #upperextremity #arthroscopy #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer
Modern Ortho is a part of the NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar 2022!… and we are finally back in person! 🙌
Check us out at Booth #910 in the @harrahsresort exhibit hall. 😊
Also see what we do in the OR- follow us at: @modernorthointheor
@newjerseyjustice
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease #personalinjury #personalinjurylawyer
Only fitting that our new Paramus building has some great bones 🙂
@peterdenoblemd @davidratliffmd @wellsarchitecture @vda_designs
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #carpaltunnelrelease
Thank you @bmartinsports and all the therapists at @ivyrehab who came out for talks by our docs @peterdenoblemd and @davidratliffmd yesterday on athletic injuries in the shoulder wrist and hand. It’s always fun sharing our experiences over the years in getting kids back to sport! 💪🏀⚾️🤸
Much thanks also to Timothy Roy, PT, Adam Freitag, OTR/L , and Nina Nunez, OTR/L who gave great talks on the rehab of injuries from the shoulder to the hand.
Oh, and we ALWAYS appreciate support from our man @ohgi_bigfish !!
#orthopedics #upperextremity #shouldersurgeon #elbowsurgeon #handsurgeon #orthopedicsurgeon #handtherapy #orthopedicsurgery #occupationaltherapy #physicianassistant #athletictrainer #handsurgery #rotatorcuffrepair #physicaltherapy